


Generational Divide

by ladyarcherfan3



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Gen, original crazy horse girl Andy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 23:55:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29090895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyarcherfan3/pseuds/ladyarcherfan3
Summary: There is a particular gap in Nile's life experiences that shows up at the most inopportune moment.
Comments: 18
Kudos: 106
Collections: Genuary 2021





	Generational Divide

**Author's Note:**

> The various posts on tumblr in the Old Guard tag about Andy being the original crazy horse girl inspired me, as I am also a crazy horse girl that has only grown up a bit in that regard. Many thanks to Shadowen for their beta work, which also made sure I wasn't too into the equine terminology.

* * *

There was absolutely no reason for this, Nile was certain. There could be no reason, that in the Year of Our Lord 2020, that they had to make an exit from a job on _horseback_.

Copely had sent them to a ranch in northwestern Montana, to deal with some asshole who had decided to get into fracking. Despite promises that it would bring jobs to the area, the local population had fought as hard as they could to stop the progress, pointing out that it would ruin the current economy and the integrity of the land and water supply. They were unable to stop the juggernaut of money and greed through the usual means. The tiny immortal army, however, could be a little more creative. It wasn’t the biggest job the immortals had ever done, but it was still satisfying to help.

They had finished with relatively little bloodshed, no fatalities on either side, and no pursuit, and Nile trusted that Joe and Nicky could truss up a handful of ranchers turned frackers well enough that they wouldn’t get loose for several hours at least. There were trucks and ATVs scattered around the yard, but Andy led them unerringly to a barn.

Nile slipped through the door last and into a dark that was deeper and thicker than the clear mountain night outside. The air was a bit dusty and heavy with sweet musk, dirt, dry grass. Soft rustlings filled the silence, and then there was a quiet, warm, fluttering sound. She suddenly realized what Andy’s plan involved.

“ _Horses?_ ” she hissed as Andy stepped out of a stall, a massive shape following behind her.

“Yes, horses.” Andy gestured to the stalls around them. “Did you expect elephants?”

Nile shook her head and stepped back as Andy tried to hand her a lead rope attached to the giant head of a horse. “No, no, I meant, why do we have them? We left an SUV at the gate, a couple miles back. What’s wrong with that?”

"Where we're going, there are no roads,” Andy said with a smirk and forced the rope into Nile’s hand.

Nile blinked in surprise at the movie reference and tried to come up with a retort, but Andy was gone in the gloom of the barn.

Nicky appeared out of the gloom, slipped into a room to Nile's left and reappeared with a saddle dangling from one hand and a patterned blanket over his shoulder.

“Tack room is that way,” he said, jerking his chin over his shoulder.

The horse shifted and shoved its head into Nile’s back. She jumped out of the way, breath catching in her throat.

“Nile. Get that horse saddled unless you plan to ride bareback.” Andy already had her horse saddled and bridled.

“I can’t!” Nile said. “I don’t know how!”

Silence fell throughout the whole barn. The horses themselves seemed shocked at the admission.

Andy stared. Her eyes flicked from Nile's face, to the horse, and back again. “What do you mean, you don’t know how? Who the hell doesn’t know how to saddle a horse?”

“I grew up in Chicago!”

A hot flush spread from Nile's face throughout her body. Her hands twitched and trembled as she gripped the rope. There had been more than one occasion where the massive age and knowledge gap between her and the rest of the group was obvious, but language lessons and weapons training had been addressed and discussed between jobs, in the comfort of a safe house. She could revel in her more intuitive knowledge of computers, and if Booker was still around they could have tag-teamed the teasing. Horseback riding had never come up, and Nile had never thought of it, because there had been no reason to expect that it would be needed.

“Time, Andy,” Joe said from across the barn. “We need to go.”

Andy growled. She grabbed the lead rope from Nile and tied the horse, her motions sharp but controlled. “We’ll fix this once we’re in the clear.”

Nile shifted out of the way, gut clenching in shame. She had no real cause for embarrassment, but Andy’s reaction made her feel tiny, a failure. As if she'd forgotten how to walk, and now Andy needed her to run.

She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and blinked up at Joe. “Don’t beat yourself up. We all forgot that you wouldn’t have any experience with horses.”

“Why do I feel an inch tall, then?”

“You know how Andy gets on a job. She’s more upset at herself at not picking up on this gap in your knowledge and fixing it before now.”

Andy finished with the horse and shoved the lead rope into Nile’s hand. “You can quit speculating about my feelings any time, Joe.” She grabbed her own horse and went to the door.

Joe squeezed Nile's shoulder and went back to his own horse. “She’s only mad because I’m right.”

Outside of the barn, the night felt far too open and exposed, even if Nile had felt like she was suffocating inside. The ranch was silent and still. The rattle of hooves against gravel and the soft, excited snorts of the horses rang loud. Nile flinched away as the horse shoved its massive head against her back again, but because she hadn’t relinquished her death grip on the lead the movement just dragged it along with her. A hoof glanced off the side of her foot, and she bit back a yelp.

Andy appeared on her other side and reached to grab the horse by the halter. “Do you need a leg up?

The sharpness in her tone and posture was still there, but it was softer. The job wasn’t done until the team was out and safe, and Andy was nothing if not focused and adaptable. Nile felt some of the knot of frustration and shame in her stomach ease, but her nerves remained. Not quite trusting her voice, she nodded.

Nile’s knowledge of horses came mostly from TV and movies, and the reality of it threw her for a loop. She could see over the horse’s back, even with the saddle on, but as soon as Andy tossed her up, she was sure the animal had gained several feet in height. Her breath went short, and she grabbed wildly for reins that weren’t there.

“Sit up and put your legs down, you're not a jockey."

Nile forced her muscles to unclench. She hadn't realized that she'd almost curled up into a ball in the saddle. "How am I supposed to steer?" Without the reins to hold, she grabbed the saddle horn, knuckles going white.

"You don’t. Your job is to stay on."

Andy turned back to her own horse and swung into the saddle. Nile gasped as the horse lurched forward, following its lead rope. The motion was rougher than she expected, stopping and starting, rocking from side to side a bit as the horse shifted and settled.

“I mean it, keep your legs down,” Andy said as she glanced back at Nile. She pulled in the lead rope until Nile’s horse was next to her own and wrapped one end of the rope around the horn of her saddle. “Keep your legs down, keep them snug, grab the mane or the horn, and hang on.”

As her horse lurched after Andy’s, Nile saw Joe and Nicky disappear off in a different direction and her stomach dropped. She knew the plan was to split up and make false trails until they were far enough away from the ranch that they could continue to the extraction point Copley had arranged, but that didn't stop her guts from twisting with nerves.

Andy kept the horses at a sedate pace for a bit until she determined that Nile had settled down and relaxed, then she urged her horse forward with a gentle kick. A bit reluctantly, Nile’s horse followed after, going faster. Nile grabbed the saddle horn and tried to keep her legs wrapped around the horse’s sides, but she kept bouncing out of the saddle and slamming back into it. Her tailbone started to ache, and she swore her kidneys were being rattled out of place. She at least had enough balance and strength to keep bringing herself back to center when she did start to slip to one side or the other.

“Hang on, we’ll canter in a second, that’s smoother than trotting,” Andy called over her shoulder, the words mingling with the thud of hooves.

Nile’s horse sped up, but the bouncing didn’t change or ease. She grit her teeth and was about to ask when it was supposed to get better, when her horse snorted, bounced and lunged forward.

In some ways, it was smoother - no longer bouncing up and down, but more of a forward and backward motion, like a rocking horse. A very fast rocking horse that didn’t go in a straight line or with an entirely even rhythm. Nile still couldn’t keep her butt in the saddle, and she could feel bruises starting on her thighs as she smacked into the front part of the saddle. At least that kept her from slipping forward onto the horse’s neck. Andy kept glancing back at her, face twisted into grimace. Nile knew her own expression wasn’t much different, and she scowled harder because Andy didn’t even wobble when she turned.

As they left the ranch proper and headed towards the mountains, the pastures and fields started to fade into forest. Andy slowed the horses a bit but kept them at a canter. It was a bit easier to handle, but they could no longer go in a straight line, with the trees. And then there were branches. Nile’s night vision was pretty decent, but trying to see black branches in the darkness with most of the moonlight blocked by the trees themselves was not easy. She ducked down and tried to stay low enough to avoid the slapping pine trees.

Suddenly, the horse bounced especially hard as Andy picked up speed, and the saddle horn drove into Nile’s stomach with impressive force. Pain blossomed through her abdomen and the edges of her vision went black. Something had to be ruptured.

As she managed to get her breath back, and the pain receded enough that she could see and hear again, she heard Andy call, “You good?”

“I’ll live,” she grunted. She didn’t want to think about what damage was actually inflicted, just happy that it was healing. Taking a careful breath, she sat up. She’d risk the branches over that again. At least she was getting better at dodging them.

The landscape started to change as they left the flat lands that the ranch had dominated, turning into hills and valleys, all steadily climbing upward, and dawn also started to light the eastern sky. Andy slowed the horses to a walk for the most part, and tried to send them across long diagonals to make navigating the hills easier. Nile felt the layers of bruises on her butt and thighs start to heal, aching muscles start to relax, and she generally felt more in control. Her horse felt sure-footed, and as long as she kept her own balance, the whole ordeal seemed less and less terrible.

It was fully daylight when Andy stopped them and sat for a moment, looking forward, her mouth in a thin line and brows pinched. Nile flexed and stretched her legs, wondering if Andy was planning to stop for a break any time soon. If not for themselves, for the horses at least. They’d been weaving through trees and rocks on a fairly flat area for a while, but the path they’d been following - which Andy pointed out was a mix of animal trails and water runoff paths - suddenly ran up a very steep hill. The washed out sandy track seemed like the only viable way forward, if they didn’t want to trek around the higher rock faced situation that ran off in either direction out of sight through the trees.

“We’re getting close to the rendezvous, but we’ll take a break at the top of the hill. It should be pretty flat up there and have some grass for the horses,” Andy said.

“Oh thank God,” Nile muttered.

Andy grinned at her. “Sore?”

“I don't want to talk about it.”

Andy just smirked and nodded to the steep hill. “They're going to have to run up it to make it. Hang on tight with your legs and keep your horse moving so he doesn’t stop and pull my horse with him.”

“How should I keep him moving? I thought my job is just to hang on?”

“Yell at him, kick him, slap him on the ass. You must have seen some cowboy movies in your life, right?”

Nile rolled her eyes. “I have seen too many horse movies. My best friend from elementary school was a crazy horse girl. She was great, just really into horses. All those movies she loved were so damn melodramatic, even when I was a kid.”

“That sounds terrible,” Andy said with more sympathy than Nile expected. Maybe Andy had also been subjected to horse movies at some point?

Andy readjusted the lead rope and turned her horse towards the hill. “Grab the mane further up his neck to keep yourself forward, keep your legs down, and hang on.” She kicked her own horse and whooped, and they all lunged up the hill.

It was wild. Nile tangled her fingers in the mane, and tried to kick her horse whenever she felt him slowing down. Andy continued to yell, alternating between encouragement and sharp orders. The horses snorted with the effort, their hooves digging into the rocky soil with a clatter. With a final heave, the horses broke over the top of the hill and onto the relative flat terrain beyond.

Their momentum and the abrupt change in angles threw Nile’s balance off, even with her death grip on the mane. She slipped to the right, away from Andy, her left knee catching somewhere just below the saddle horn. She didn’t see what happened next. All she knew was that the horse jumped, her leg slipped, and her hand burned as the mane was ripped away from her grip.

She landed hard, the sound of snapping bones hidden by the thud of hooves and Andy’s shout of alarm. Pain lanced through her arm and ribs, and then across her shoulder as a hoof slashed across her. She tried to roll away, but her limbs didn’t want to cooperate, and the pain shot up another level.

It took a few moments and the sickening crackle of bones being pulled back into place, but Nile was able to sit up, sucking in deep breaths. “Ah, fuck.” Her shoulder still burned, and the bones of her ribs and arms ached along the healing lines. “Fuck. Fuck this. Fuck me.”

She was sick of this horse nonsense. She was - had been - a Marine. Her mother had raised a strong woman. She was a badass immortal. She shouldn’t be this upset about falling off a horse.

As her emotions settled and her body finished healing, she managed to look around. The horses were off to the side, ripping up mouthfuls of grass with relish. Just out of arm’s reach, Andy sat crossed legged, plucking at the grass herself.

“You know, I’ve been riding horses since it was a thing,” Andy said suddenly, watching the grass blades between her fingers. “It was as natural as walking, even before I died the first time.”

Nile took a deep breath and rolled her shoulders. The pain had mostly faded away. She caught Andy’s eye and gave a half smile. “So, you’re saying you’re the original crazy horse girl?”

Andy actually laughed out loud. “Yeah, I guess you could say that.” She stood and brushed grass off her pants. “It isn’t your fault that you don’t know how to ride. In ordinary circumstances, the fall you had today might have killed you, but it's not the first time you got busted up while learning something.”

Nile grimaced, thinking of the times Andy, Joe, and Nicky had purposefully injured her so she could learn how various injuries felt and learn to keep moving while she healed, and the various lessons where no hits were pulled.

“You’re fine, now; I’ll get you to where you need to be.” Andy held out a hand to Nile.

Nile took the proffered hand and pulled herself up with a groan. “Are you planning more jobs where we have to ride horses?”

“It’s good to have a wide skill set. Joe can help you get a pilot’s licence, or just teach you if you just want to learn.”

“Thought you knew how to fly a plane.”

“Oh, I can fly one. Joe is just better.” Andy gave her a wicked half grin. “You can actually survive his landings.”

Nile sighed and rolled her eyes. “How long before I am not right in the head like the rest of you?”

Andy went to retrieve the horses. “Give it about a century.”

They took about an hour to rest, eat protein bars, and rehydrate. Nile had not even noticed when they left the ranch that someone had packed saddle bags with provisions. Andy swore up and down it was Nicky, but Nile didn't believe her. If Nicky had been involved, she was sure there would have been some sort of homemade survival food that would have been nutrient dense and tasty. Andy was more prone to protein bars and energy drinks because it would get the job done without much fuss.

The rest of the day was surprisingly uneventful. Nile managed to translate the skills she had for hand to hand fighting into staying on the horse. Andy also took pity on her, and since they had not seen any sign of pursuit, they stayed at a walk with occasional stretches of trotting. Nile was even allowed to steer, which involved Andy swapping the bridle on her horse for the halter and lead rope from Nile’s.

“I figure I can stop this one without a bit. You’re going to need some back up if that one gets away, but he’s pretty lazy, so you should be fine.”

“Did you just guess this one was lazy when you gave him to me, or was it luck?”

Andy shrugged one shoulder. “Eh, after six thousand years, I can tell pretty well by looking at them.”

It was late afternoon when they rode into the mountain meadow to meet Joe and Nicky. The men already had a camp set up, and there was even the tantalizing smell of something cooking.

Joe held Nile’s horse as she stopped near the camp. “Ah, Andy made you a horsewoman already, I see!” he said with a laugh.

“Well, it isn’t like the movies,” Niles groaned as she tried to gracefully slide from the saddle, and instead nearly crumpled when her feet hit the ground, her legs feeling like jelly.

“Very few things are,” Joe replied, the hand under her elbow to steady her much more appreciated than the sympathy in his voice. “However, you looked magnificent, riding into the meadow, lit by the golden light of the sun, confident in yourself and the challenges you faced and overcame.”

“At least I looked good. Can’t say that I feel that good.”

“Come, and sit down for a bit, have some more water and then we’ll eat something,” Nicky soothed as he joined them.

“Hey, she’s got to take care of her horse first, don’t you two do it for her,” Andy said as she dismounted. “You can _instruct_ her,” she added quickly as Joe started to protest. “Just don’t do everything for her. How else is she going to learn?”

Joe leaned close to Nile and said in a stage whisper, “How many times did she have you falling off?”

“Just once,” Andy called.

“But it _was_ bad,” Nile finished.

“You know what they say: failure is the best teacher,” Joe replied with a grin.

Between Joe and Nicky, Nile soon had the horse unsaddled, rubbed down and checked for saddle sores, and even picked up its feet to check for rocks in its hooves. When she looked up from her tasks, Andy was again mounted on her horse, still only with the halter and lead rope to steer, but without the saddle.

“The food should be done soon,” Nicky said, a reminder and a gentle warning not to miss the family meal time.

“I’m just going to take her on a few laps around the meadow. She’s gotta be fun when she can move out freely.”

Nile found a seat and watched Andy take the horse out across the meadow. For a few minutes, the grass held the horse’s attention, and Andy let it wander in pursuit of the best mouthfuls. She pulled the horse’s head up and urged it forward with a gentle kick. The horse picked up a trot, and then a canter. Before they were even halfway around the meadow, they were going at a gallop. Even at the speed and distance, Nile could see a change in Andy’s posture, could almost imagine the expression on her face, the change was so profound.

As the horse galloped, the sunlight gilding the edges of its body in gold, the wind of its speed blowing its mane into black flames, Andy’s body relaxed into the rhythm, joined in it until there was no discernible separation between her and the horse. The weight of centuries of living, of loss and pain, and innumerable changes to the world drifted off of her shoulders and blew away with the dust and pollen left by the pair’s passage through the grass. There was a poetry and beauty that she knew even Joe would never be able to capture in words or lines. Nicky could possibly distill it down to something about holiness, because Nile herself could find nothing else that could come close, either. Holy, but also _wholly_ \- wholly at peace, in control, in truth.

Whatever else Andy was - warrior or killing machine, leader or savior - this is where she was the most herself: on the back of a horse, in a sun soaked meadow.

True to her word, Andy only did a few laps before bringing the horse back down to a walk and turning back toward the camp. As they drew closer, Nile could see some of the weight fall back onto Andy, but not all of it. A faint smile still lit her face, and there was an ease to her posture that hadn’t been there before.

Maybe those horse movies weren’t so overdramatic as she thought.

“Feel better?” she asked as Andy rode back into camp.

“You have no idea.” Andy slid off the horse and ran her hand along its neck.

Nile chuckled and stepped up to pet the horse’s velvety nose. “I know that I have a lot of catching up to do, in terms of learning about riding and horses, but I do know that I’d never find anyone more qualified to teach me.”

Andy snorted. “I’ll remind you of that when you’re bitching about the work.”

“Oh, I said qualified. I never said you’re a good teacher.”

Andy smiled and hooked her arm around Nile’s neck to pull her into a rough hug. “Kids these days.”


End file.
